One month, of life
by jantremendous
Summary: Sequel to her absence, his life. Time placement: 5 years later, hence John with white hair / \


One month. He can't believe it. He is going to lose her in one month. That meant that he only has 30 days at the most to be with her. John felt tears form on the corners of his eyes as he eyed his wife from outside the intensive care unit. Rainbow dash lay down on one of the beds and she is currently hooked to a mechanical ventilator, making her unable to speak. She also had a nasogastric tube inserted on one of her nostrils, where her liquefied foods as well as her medications were being administered through. On both of her arms, two sets of intravenous fluids were attached, and a small monitor that displayed her heartbeat was located beside the mechanical ventilator she is currently hooked on. Rainbow dash is currently asleep at the moment, and her vital signs are stable. However, John couldn't seem to find comfort in that as his tears spilled on his face and he cried silently upon watching his wife who is in a critical condition. He had been summoned in the doctor's office a few hours ago, where the doctor assigned to his wife talked to him. He was told that nothing could be done for Rainbow dash's condition anymore; According to the doctor, the most that they could do is to relieve her pain by giving her stronger pain medications. Lastly, the physician told him that Rainbow dash now only had a month to live. Not three, four or six months. Not a year. But a month. John felt weak upon hearing that information. At that moment, he felt as if the whole world is literally crumbling down on him. Rainbow dash, his wife, the love of his life and the step-mother of his sons, is going to leave him in a month. It had been almost a year when Rainbow dash was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer.

He could still remember that day when she told him that she was sick and that she needs to undergo an intensive treatment to prolong her life. At first he didn't believe it. How could the strongest woman in the world get sick? That's when he realized that they are facing another serious threat. In fact, more serious than Lisbeth, Miko, the Androids or Kai. And this time, neither Shenron nor Porunga could do something to help them overcome this threat. For the next months, Rainbow dash spent most of her time inside the hospital. She was confined since she needed to undergo multiple cycles of chemotherapy to help save her life. John felt afraid as he watched his wife fight for her life. He noticed the horrible changes that chemotherapy brought about on her as Rainbow dash started to lose weight rapidly.

She also experienced alopecia or hair loss, and she became immunocompromised. The doctors required her to wear a mask at all times since they said that she could acquire other infections because chemotherapy not only helps destroy her cancer cells, it also weakens her body, as well as her immune system. Despite the positive attitude Rainbow dash had, John still felt scared. He couldn't shake off the feeling of death and he began to be afraid of every day that came and passed, for he knew he could lose his wife anytime. Last year, they spent Christmas inside the hospital since Rainbow dash was scheduled for another session of chemotherapy right before Christmas Day. Though he tried to be happy so Trunks and Goten wouldn't notice his fear, he still couldn't shake off the dreadful feeling inside him, it only intensified whenever he caught a glimpse of his wife. Back then, Rainbow dash was still confined in a private room, for she was still responding to the medications being given to her. Well, at least slightly. Their friends all went to the hospital to wish them a Merry Christmas and to see how Rainbow dash is doing, and though nobody really displayed a sad aura back then, John knew that like him, they were also afraid, for they know that Rainbow dash could die and leave them anytime

The next months after that proved to be more dreadful as Rainbow dash's condition started to deteriorate. John tried his best to stay strong and put on a good act in front of her and in front of everyone, but during the times that he was left alone or his wife was asleep, he cried. He cried while he tried to figure out why all of this had to happen. He cried while he thought of how he would gladly give anything just for her to be cured and to be safe from death, and most importantly, he cried while he constantly prayed and begged for her life. It was during these times that John realized how much he loved her and how much she meant to him. Every day, he tried to make her happy and feel loved, while he feared for the day when she would finally leave him. As time passed, his fear worsened, he even came to the point wherein he didn't want to see Rainbow dash's assigned doctor for he felt that the doctor would tell him a bad news every time he entered the room to check on Rainbow dash. He felt more afraid when Rainbow dash's symptoms started to worsen, his strong act slowly crumbled down while he watched his wife struggle on with her life. Right there and then, he knew that Rainbow dash is nearing her end, and though he tried hard to brace himself for the worst, he still couldn't do it, for it hurts him so much. Now, the time has come. The doctor already told him the bad news that he dreaded for so long. Rainbow dash only had a month to live. That meant that she might not even make it until Christmas Day. He and his sons would spend Christmas without her, because she is bound to leave all of them in a month. John slumped on the plastic chair near the ICU as he buried his face in his hands and cried. He didn't care if those who passed by threw him glances as he sobbed like a child while mumbling his wife's name. He knew that she would leave him soon, and he knew that it would hurt, but he never imagined that it would hurt like this.

"John?" He looked up when he heard a voice call his name. He saw Sinon standing in front of him while eyeing him with a concerned look. Sinon gasped when she saw her secret love with fresh tears in his eyes. Instinctively, she walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck as she pulled him closer to her. This gesture made John cry harder, as he hugged Sinon back and sobbed profusely against her, his tears wetting her shirt. Sinon patted his back gently as he cried, offering him some comfort. "Shhhh... John... It's all right..." She cooed softly as she hugged him. "No it isn't... Rainbow dash's... Rainbow dash's dying... She's going to leave me..." John said as he sobbed, his voice sounding a little muffled against her shirt. Sinon allowed the Saiyan to cry for a while as she continued to hold him and comfort him. After a while, he managed to calm down, and he let go of her, gesturing her to sit down on the plastic chair beside the one he had been sitting on. "John, what did the doctor say?" Sinon asked gently as she sat down. John looked at her, his eyes puffy and red from all the crying. "Rainbow dash only has a month to live. The doctor said nothing could be done for her since she isn't responding to the treatments anymore..." He answered glumly. Sinon's eyes widened when she heard what he said. She felt terribly sorry for him at once as she realized the same thing he had realized earlier. Rainbow dash might not make it till Christmas. "I'm sorry John..." She said to him in a sad voice. She couldn't think of something else to say. "It hurts Sinon... It hurts.. Since she was diagnosed with this illness I have been dreading for this day to come. I know that I could lose her anytime, but it still hurts. I love her so much, she means everything to me, and now she's leaving me. To think that Christmas is just almost a month away.

I could lose her anytime... Rainbow dash might not make it till Christmas day..." John said as new tears spilled on his face, his voice thick with anguish as he spoke. Sinon's heart wrenched as she listened to him. She hated seeing him like this, for it hurt her. It pains her to see the one she had loved for so long hurting like this. "John, I know it's really hard, but you must learn to accept whatever is bound to happen. I know how you love Rainbow dash, but there are some things that we just can't change. Most of the time, these things happen for several reasons, though we do not know what those reasons may be. I'm not telling you not to grieve, for its natural. You love her and you are about to lose her. What I'm trying to tell you is to learn acceptance, and be prepared as well. We'll always be here for you whenever you need our help, when you need someone to talk to, I'll gladly listen to you. We know that we cannot do anything to revive her once she dies, but the least we can offer you is our moral support. We will never leave you alone in times like this, John." Sinon told him. 'I will always be here for you because I love you.' She added on her mind. He sighed as he looked at her. He still felt bereft because of his wife, but he greatly appreciated her concern. To her surprise, he suddenly pulled her to him and enveloped her into a hug. "Thank you Sinon. Thank you so much." He said as he hugged her. She hugged him back. "You're always welcome, John." She replied. Miraculously though, Rainbow dash was able to make it till Christmas Day, and John as well as the others made sure that it would be one Christmas that she would never forget. Though she is unconscious most of the time, she managed to show them her appreciation when she awoke briefly and wrote on a piece of paper that Trunks handed her the words "Thank You." No more explanations were needed as they all saw it in her eyes. Even if her end is near, her eyes showed how happy she was that all of them made an effort to make her last Christmas the best Christmas ever.

Later that day, when everyone had left, except for Sinon, since she is worried about John, John sat near Rainbow dash's bed as he clutched her now thin hand tightly in his. He was telling her how much he loved her and he also asked her to forgive him for not being the proper husband that she deserved. He also thanked her for everything that she had done for him and his sons. Rainbow dash is awake and she clearly heard her husband's words. She squeezed his hand softly as a response, and then she looked at Sinon who was sitting nearby and gestured for the younger girl to get her a pen and a paper, to which Sinon immediately obliged. After handing her the things she asked, she wrote the words "I love you so much, John." on the paper. John couldn't help but cry as he read those words. He kissed his wife's forehead as some of his tears landed on her face. "I love you too, Rainbow dash. I love you so much." He whispered to her afterwards.

Rainbow dash died the next day, which is the twenty sixth of December. John and Sinon both had fallen asleep as they watched over her and when John woke up; he saw that the small monitor near her is already displaying a flat line. He panicked at once, waking Sinon up who immediately called for the doctor. After a while, a team of doctors came rushing and tried to revive Rainbow dash by performing CPR's and using a defibrillator. However, all their efforts were futile. Rainbow dash was pronounced clinically dead as they pulled the covers up to her head. Then one of the doctors looked at John sadly. "I'm sorry Mr. Kazuto..." The doctor said as he shook his head towards the man. "No... No... Rainbow dash..." John said as he shook his head in disbelief. His knees buckled and he fell right back on the chair he had been sitting on earlier. He refused to believe that his wife is dead. He looked at Sinon who was standing beside him. " Rainbow dash's... not dead... She can't be... Right?" He asked her. Sinon felt her tears coming when she saw his reaction. She looked at him solemnly as her tears spilled on her face. "I'm sorry John.. Rainbow dash's gone..." She said to him in a soft voice. John seemed to be in a trance, it still isn't sinking into him yet. He called out softly to his wife, hoping that she would peer from under the covers and respond to him by looking at him. "Rainbow dash... Please wake up..." He said, his voice starting to break. Sinon placed a hand over his shoulder. "John... John please, I know it hurts but... Rainbow dash is gone..." She said as she sobbed. John remained silent for a few seconds as everything finally sank into him. This is it. His wife is gone. Rainbow dash had left him for good. Trembling, he walked over to Rainbow dash's corpse and flung himself towards her now covered body as his tears fell rapidly and he once again sobbed like a child while grieving the loss of the one who holds his heart. "Rainbow dash... Please wake up. Please... Please don't leave me alone... Rainbow dash!" He cried as his tears landed on the blanket covering her body. Sinon watched him as she continued to cry silently, for it hurts her to see him in so much pain. She walked over to him and placed her arms around his crying form. "John... John please… I... I hate seeing you like this..." She blurted out as she gently tried to pry him away from his wife's body so the nurses could perform post mortem care on her corpse. However, John didn't want to let go. "No... Rainbow dash! Rainbow dash please wakes up now!" He kept on saying over and over again, for he couldn't really accept his wife's death. Sinon felt pained when she saw how distraught the Saiyan was. Right there and then, she promised to herself that she would stay true to her word and she would always be there for him when he needed her. It doesn't matter if he reciprocated her feelings in time or not, what's more important is; she would be able to show him her love by giving him comfort and moral support in times like this. 'I will never leave you alone, John... I will never leave you alone, and I will always be here for you because I love you.'

Sinon thought sadly, tears still flowing from her eyes as she eyed John, the one whom she secretly loved with all of her heart for a very long time now. How she wished she could do something to take away his pain. But she also knew that even the Dragon balls didn't have the power to help him, because people who died of natural causes couldn't be resurrected by either Shenron or Porunga. Sinon sighed softly. She didn't really want John to return her feelings now. It's not what would make her feel better. She wanted John to recover from his emotional pain. She wanted him to be back to the way he was before his wife had been diagnosed with such fatal illness. But she knew that it would take a long time, in fact a very long time, for John to be completely back to normal and continue living his life with Rainbow dash no longer beside him. However, it didn't matter to her even if it took him forever to return to the way he was before. She would be by his side, she would help him recover, and she is determined to do everything she could just to see him smile once again.


End file.
